SENSATION AT OCEAN BEACH.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXVII, Issue 125, 10 June 1891, Page 2

SENSATION AT OCEAN BEACH.

ALARMING ENCROACHMENT OP THE SEA. . [UNITED P3ESS ASSOCIATION.] . Donedin, June 8. Considerable alarm was caused- on the flat to-day by the extraordinary high tide and heavy sea on at Ocean Beach,. and m the afternoon it became evident that a breach would be made m the sandhills at St. Kilda-road, ciose to- the Central Battery. At 4.3Q p.m. the ..sea had cut a channel through, and there was a strong Btream flowing up the St. Kilda-road for about 800 yards, which spread on to the low-lying ground. This being the first experience of the kind, many of the inhabitants prepared to leave their houses ; but as the channel was cut through within a short time of high water, nothing serious happened. Steps were at once taken to dam back the water for the next tide by filling up the channel, and placing bags fall of sand as a protection. '

At St. Clair the remaining portion of the sea wall has disappeared, and most of the esplanade has been washed away. The next high- tide will probably see several sections of land swallowed up, as there is nothing but the line of sandhills, now being rapidly eaten away, between the ocean and St. Eilda, South Dunedin, and part of Caversham. The residents and property owners are very considerably alarmed. Later. The work of filling up the channel out by the sea at Ocean Beach was finished about 7 o'clock, but nothing will be known of the result, till 4 a.m. The wind, which had died away, is freshening up again. The damage done by the breach is practically confined to gardens. June 9. The high tide caused but little additional damage at Ocean Beach. At St Clair the whole of the broad esplanade up to the. building line was washed away.